Consider this: Another New York state senator goes down

After Carl Kruger resigned from the state Senate last Tuesday and pleaded guilty to four counts of bribery and conspiracy, his lawyer asked the judge who is due to sentence Kruger in April to “consider his many years of devotion to the thousands of constituents” in his Brooklyn district.

The Democrat who has been in office since 1994 did put in many years of service — self-service, that is.

One of his constituents was a supermarket owner tormented by Native American cigarette retailers whose tax-free sales were cutting into his profits. So he appealed to Kruger to press the state to start collecting those taxes. Kruger wrote to a judge urging that existing laws be enforced. Devotion to a constituent? It would have been — if Kruger hadn’t been on the take from the supermarket owner.

Another constituent was Dr. Robert Aquino, an executive of the former Parkway Hospital who need state Health Department approval to buy Caritas Hospital. Kruger obliged by pressing Aquino's case with the state — in exchange for more cash.

In all, Kruger may have received as much as $1 million over the years for his influence-peddling. He hid the money in real estate firms controlled by his housemate. In court, Kruger and his companion both shed tears, and Kruger said how sorry he was. No doubt he was doubly sorry because he got caught, and now faces up to 20 years in prison.

The rogues’ gallery in Albany has one fewer member, now that Kruger is gone. So are Sens. Pedro Espada Jr., D-Bronx, who was also indicted on corruption charges and defeated for re-election, and Hiram Monserrate, D-Queens, expelled after his misdemeanor conviction for assaulting his girlfriend.

Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr., D-Bronx, said this week his thinks his three friends were set up because they broke ranks with fellow Democrats so Republicans could take back control of the Senate in 2009. Heaven forbid corruption and law-breaking should be sufficient grounds for losing a seat in the New York State Legislature.

This item has been revised to reflect the following correction:A “consider this” item Tuesday about former state Sen. Carl Kruger, who admitted to taking bribes, incorrectly said David Rosen was an executive at Parkway Hospital in Queens. Dr. Robert Aquino was president of Parkway. Rosen was chief executive of MediSys Health Network. Both Rosen and Aquino were convicted in the bribery scheme.